Bucket



.hme 20, 1939- P. J. SPEICHER ET An.

BUCKET Filed Aug. l5, 1958 ez'ahef' Patented `lune 20, 1939 UNETED STATES PATENT FFICE BUCKET bana, 1nd.

Application August 15,

4 Claims.

This, invention relates to fruit picking devices and more particularly to an improved receiver or collector which is adapted to be suspended in iront of the picker to initially receive the fruit as f, it is picked from the tree.

An object or this invention is to provide a receiver which is provided with a metallic body open at the top and bottom and is also provided with a collapsible flexible body which may be collapsed against the lower portion of the metallic body so as to form a flexible bottom and an improved holding means for holding the cords connected to the flexible body in tight position against the opposite sides of the body.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved combination clip which may be secured to the side of the metal body or basket which is adapted to yieldingly hold the bottom cords in tight position and also hold the waist or hip straps so that the basket will be rmly secured in front of the picker.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved lining for a basket of this kind and means for attaching the lining to the basket or receptacle so that the fruit will not be damaged while being placed within the basket or receptacle, or during the time the fruit is positioned within the basket or receptacle.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for securing a bottom holding cord to the bottom or iiexible body portion so that no metal will come in contact with the fruit during the time that the fruit is emptied from the receptacle as is the case where metal eyelets or grommets are secured to the flexible body or bottom,

Embodying the objects aforesaid, and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein embodiments of the invention are shown, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fruit picking receptacle constructed according to an embodiment of this invention showing the flexible body or bottom in a position to close the lower end of the non-flexible body,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional y55 view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1,

1938, Serial No. 225,042

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the receptacle showing the cord and waist band holding hooks or clips, 5

Figure 5 is a detail front elevation of the hook or clip with a portion of the receptacle in section, and

Figure 6 is a detail tcp plan of the hook with a portion of the receptacle in section. 10

Referring to the drawing the numeral Ill designates generally a ncniiexible body or receptacle which preferably is constructed of sheet metal, and the body ill is open at the upper and lower ends thereof. The body lil is provided with an 15 arcuate front wall ll which is described on a relatively long radius and the ends of the front wall il merge into relatively short radius side wall i3. The side walls 13 are struck from a relatively small radius and merge into a rear 20 wall i2. The rear wall iii may be bent to a slight degree in the direction of the front wall ll so that when the body iii is suspended in front of the user the rear wall l2 will extend partly about the front of the user. 25

The upper and lower ends of the body It are provided with a rolled portion lil forming a reinforcing bead, and a reinforcing wire or rod l5 is positioned inside the rolled portion it so that the upper and lower ends of the body iii will be 30 held against bending.

A lining member i5, constructed of felt or other like soit material is disposed throughout the inner face of the body i@ and is extended over the rolled edge i4 at the top of said body. The mem- 35 ber it depends below the said rolled edge and is arranged against the upper portion of the outer face of body lil. rIhe member l where it extends about the bead i4 provides a cushioning means on the upper edge of the body l0 in ad- 40 dition to providing a cushioning means interiorly of the body l@ so as to prevent bruising or otherwise injuring the fruit as this fruit is placed inside the body or receptacle l0.

A iiexible cover i? is positioned about the upper portion of the lining IE5 and extends downwardly into the interior of the body l as shown in Figures l and 2. The extended portion I8 of the cover il has the inner and lower edge portion thereof secured as by stitching IS to the lining i6, The cover il is extended about the upper edge of the body it, depends from such and is then reverted to bear against its inner face as at 2D. The reverted portion 2li of the covering member I1 bears against the outer face of the outer de- 5 5 is carried by a bar 3|l.

pending portion 2| of the member I6. The bend between the portion 25 and the body of member il' is flush with the bottom edge of portion 2| of member I6. The body of member Il, the reverted portion 2| of the latter and the portion 2| of member I6 are secured together by a pair of spaced parallel rows of stitching 22. The rows of stitching 22, in connection with the outer part and portion 2|) of member provide an endless tunnel, hem, pocket or channel 23 disposed in circumferential relation with respect to body I0.

Arranged within the tunnel 23 is a retaining member 24, in the form of a length of wire. The wire 24 may be relatively heavy wire and' is extended through the tunnel 23, with the two ends of the wire brought out through the outer wall of the tunnel at a suitable point, and then twisted together so that the wire 25 will tightly bind the cover and the lining I6 against the outer side of the body at a point below the rounded upper edge of the latter.

In this manner it is not necessary to use rivets or other metallic fastening devices for securing the cover Il and the lining I6 to the body ID. rlhis elimination of metallic fastening members prevents the fruit from coming in contact with such fastening members so that the fruit will not be damaged from such Contact as is the case with certain receptacles at present available.

A supporting strap structure 25 is adapted to be connected to the receptacle ||l for supporting the receptacle l in front of the user. This strap structure comprises a pair of shoulder straps 26 that cross each other at the rear, being secured in crossed relation at the rear to a waist or hip strap 2l. The ends of the shoulder straps 26 are folded about the waist or hip strap 2l, as shown at 28, and then stitched or otherwise securely fastened thereto.

In this manner the strain applied to the rear portions of the straps 26 will not be applied directly to the stitching as would be the case where the ends of the straps 26 are not reverted. The front or free ends of the straps 26 are each extended through a buckle or loop member 29 which The bar 3|] is secured to the rear wall E2 at the upper edge thereof by means of a strap 3| which extends from the inside of the body I0 over the upper edge of the latter and then downwardly over the outer side to a point below the member The opposite ends of each buckle securing strap 3| are reverted as at 32 and these reverted ends are tightly secured respectively against the member |6 and to the outer face of the body |il by means of a headed fastening member 33 in the form of a rivet or like fastening member. The members 33 also act to secure the lining member |6 tothe inner face of body I0. The free or front ends of the straps 25 are passed through the loop members 29 over and bear on the Lipper bends of the straps 3|. The said upper bends cover the bar 3|). The free ends of straps 26 are then passed downwardly inside the receptacle l!) between the inner portion of the members 29 and the securing straps 3| as shown in Figure 3. If desired the free end of a strap 26 may be looped upwardly as shown at 34 in Figure l.

A tubular combined closure and outlet member 35 is secured as by a bead 36 to the lower end of the body i3 and this member 35 comprises a body formed of canvasor other relatively heavy flexible material which is provided on the outer face of the rear thereof with a plurality of parallel strips 31 secured to the body of the member 35 as by stitching 38. These strips 31 are preferably constructed of flexible material, such as very heavy canvas and an outer protecting surface for the member 35 when the latter is in bottom closing position with relation as to body Hl as shown in Figure l.

The member 35 is provided at opposite sides thereof and in the lower portion with a pair of tubular rope receiving channels 39 opening at the outside of the body of member 35. A rope or cord 4G is extended through each channel 35 and has its ends arranged exteriorly of the member 35. One end of the cord 45 is provided with a knot il i. The other end of the cord lo may also be provided with a knot 42 so as to prevent ravelling of the cord Mi. The cords provide a means whereby the member 35 may be either held in a receptacle closing position or may be let down so that the fruit in the rigid body l5 may be permitted to flow out through the member 35 and into a collecting receptacle.

In order to provide a means whereby each cord 40 maybe quickly secured to the body |61 or quickly released therefrom respectively for moving member 35 to and from closing relation with respect 'to body i), I have provided a clip member generally designatedas At3. The clip member @3 comprises a U-shaped rope securing member 441 which comprises a. pair of parallel portions i5 which are disposed in outwardly offset relation to the outside |3 of the receptacle lil, and the bight of the U-shaped member 44 is outwardly curved as at 46 so as to provide guide means by means of which the rope may be guided between the parallel legs and the outside of the receptacle I0.

The lower ends of the parallel legs 45 are provided with inwardly and downwardly projecting extensions 51 terminating in a parallel portion 58 on one leg thereof which is adapted to be welded as at 49 to the outer side of the receptacle |D. The other leg of the U-shaped member M is provided with an inwardly offset portion 5B which is extended rearwardly and upwardly as at 5| and it terminates in a hook 52 having an outwardly extending bill 53. The connecting portion 50 between the hook 52 and the U-shaped member M is spot welded as at 54 to the side of the receptacle as shown in Figure 4.

The opposite :ends of the waist or hip strap 2'! are provided with rings or eye members 55 which L The hook member 51 has the connecting pory tion 5| thereof with the U-shaped member 54 dii,- posed on a curvezcoinciding with the curvature of the side .I3 so that the greater portion of the inner side of the hook 52 will lie flat against the outer side I3 of the body I3.

In the use of this device the body |El is adapted to be suspended in front of the user by means of the shoulder .straps 26 and held tightly against the front of` the body of the user by means of the waist or hip straps 2li engaging the hooks 52. During the picking or collecting of the fruit, the flexible member 35 will be disposed across the bottom of body with the open portion thereof positioned along the front side of the body |S as shown in Figure l. The member I5 in the position aforesaid will coact wththe body lil to form a closed bottom receptacle.

The cords 4|) may be wrapped once about the clips 4.4 and'then'the free end thereof may be nfl engaged with the hook 52 so as to prevent the ring 55 from moving forwardly and out of the hook 52.

The fruit is positioned in the receptacle and will engage the cushioned lining i6 and as no metal is exposed on the inside of the body i the fruit will not be bruised or injured by contact with any metal as is the case where rivets or grommets are used for attaching the lining I6 to the body iii.

After the receptacle has been filled to the desired degree the cords M5 may be released from the hooks 52 and the clip members Lili and member 35 then let down so as to provide a flexible outlet or discharge tube or mouth which may be positioned over a receiving receptacle. The fruit will gravitatingly flow out of the member 35 into the receiving receptacle. After all of the gathered or picked fruit has been discharged into the receiving receptacle, the cords iii may be pulled upwardly to the position shown in Figure l wherein the member 3d will constitute for a portion of the length thereof a flexible bottom for the non-flexible body iii.

A collecting receptacle constructed according to this invention can be manufactured at a relatively small cost, and by means oi the construction hereinbefore described the receptacle will last for a relatively long period of time. This picking receptacle may readily have a new member 35 substituted for a damaged, impaired or worn one and a new lining member i6 substituted for damaged liner i@ without discarding the entire structure. This statement also applies to the cover. As the retaining wire 24 is twisted together, it may be readily removed to permit of the cover and lining being removed from body lil and a new wire substituted to secure a new cover and lining in position with respect to body lo.

The lining member it includes what may be termed a depending inner portion disposed throughout the inner face of body lil, a rounded intermediate portion which encompassing the rounded upper edge `of body iii and a depending outer portion which bears against the upper portion of the outer face of body iii below the rounded upper edge of the latter. The upper ends of the outer an-d inner depending portions merge into the intermediate portion. The cover i5 includes what may be termed a depending inner part, a rounded intermediate part and a depending outer part having its lower portion reverted and positioned against the outer face of the outer portion of member It and against the inner face of the outer part of cover il. The said depending inner part of the cover is positioned against and secured to the upper part of the inner portion of the lining member I6. The said intermediate part of the cover incloses and bears against the intermediate part of the lining member.

1lli/"nat we claim is:

l. In a fruit pickers receptacle of that type including a hollow rigid body open at each end and having a rounded upper edge, and a tubular flexible combined closure and outlet member for and extended from the lower end of said body, the combination of a flexible lining member having a depending inner portion, a rounded intermediate portion and a depending outer portion for respectively positioning throughout against the inner face of said body, encompassing throughout said upper edge and bearing against the upper part of the outer face of said body be-` low said upper edge, a flexible cover having an tion and an outer part depending from said intermediate part, said outer part having its lower portion reverted against its inner face and bearing against the outer portion of the lining member, a pair of spaced parallel rows of stitching securing the outer portion of the lining member and the outer part of the cover together, said rows of stitching coacting with the outer part of the cover to form an endless tunnel disposed in circumferential relation with respect to said body, and retaining means extending throughout said tunnel for securing the outer portion of the lining member and outer part of the cover in abutting relation and to said body below said upper edge.

2. In a fruit pickers receptacle of that type including a hollow rigid body open at each end and having a rounded upper edge, and a tubular flexible combined closure and outlet member for and extended from the lower end of said body, the combination of a flexible lining member having a depending inner portion, a rounded intermediate portion and a depending outer portion for respectively positioning throughout against the inner face of said body, encompassing throughout said upper edge and bearing against theupper part of the outer face of said body below said upper edge, a flexible cover having an inner part positioned against the upper part of and secured to said inner portion, an intermediate part bearing against said intermediate; portion and an outer part depending from said intermediate part, said outer part having its lower portion reverted against its inner face and bearing against the outer portion of the lining member, a pair of spaced parallel rows of stitching securing the outer portion of the lining member and the outer part of the cover together, said rows of stitching coacting with the outer part of the cover to form an endless tunnel disposed in circumferential relation with respect to s-aid body, and retaining means extending throughout said tunnel for securing the outer portion of the lining member and outer part of the cover in abutting relation and to said body below said upper' edge, the said outer portion of the lining member having its bottom edge flush with the bend provided by the reverted portion of said outer part of the cover.

3. In a fruit picliers receptacle of that type including a hollow rigid body open at each end having a rounded upper edge, and a tubular iiexible combined closure and outlet member for and extended from the lower end of said body, the combination of a flexible lining member having a depending inner portion, a rounded intermediate portion and a depending outer portion for respectively positioning throughout against the inner face of said body, encompassing throughout said upper edge and be-aring against the upper part of the outer face of said body below said upper edge, a iiexible cover having an inner part positioned against the upper part of and secured to said inner portion, an intermediate part bearing against said intermediate portion and an outer part depending from said intermediate part, said outer part having its lower portion reverted against its inner face and bearing against the outer portion of the lining member, a pair of spaced parallel rows of stitching securing the outer portion of the lining mem.- ber and the outer part of the cover together,

said rows of stitching coacting with the outer part of the cover to forman endless tunnel disposed in circumferential relation with respect to said body, retaining means extending throughout said tunnel for seeuringthe outer portion of the lining member and outer part of the cover in. abutting relation and to said body belowv said up-A per edge, a pair of spaced buckle elements positioned at said upper edge for adjustably connecting a pair' of shoulder straps` to said body, each element including a cross bar, a pair of securing straps for said elements extending through the latter and over the cross bars, each of said securing straps. having their end terminal portions.

reverted upon their inner faces, said securing straps being positioned against the said inner and outer parts of and depending below the cover, the reverted end terminal portions of the securing straps being positioned against the inner portion of the lining member and outer face of said body, and means for securing the securing straps, said body and lining member together.

4. In a fruit pickers receptacle of that type including a hollow body open at each end for suspension from the shoulders of a user, a tubular flexible combined closure and outlet member secured at its inner e'nd to the lower end of said body, and a waist strap lfor connection to the sides of said body, thecombination of a pair of upstanding attaching elements adapted to be secured intermediate their ends to opposite sides` of said body and, each being formed with an upper offset portion and va', hook-like portion arranged below `and rearwardlyof the oiset portion, cords adapted to be connected to the outer of said member for .lifting the latter to position a portion thereof acrossV the lower end of said body tov form a bottom for the latter and the outer end terminal portion of said member in upstanding relation with respect to the front of said body, means adapted to be carried by the ends of the waist strap for-,engaging within said hook-like portions for coupling said strap to the sides of said body, and, said cords having a part of their' length wrapped about said oset portions for retaining said member in the positions aforesaid and another part of their length extending through said hook-like portions forwardly of said means for retaining the latter in said hook-like portions.Y

PAUL J. SPEICHER. LEVI O. STARK. 

